Essex, MA

Full City Profile · Massachusetts · Essex County County

3.7 /5.0
B+ Good
1,775 Population 862/sq mi density
$156,094 Median Income $63,654 per capita
$774,400 Home Value $910,434 Zillow
$1,750 Median Rent 31.2% income on rent
50°F Avg Temperature
292 Violent Crime/100K 345 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.7 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
5.0 / 5.0
$156,094 median income, 1.4% unemployment
B+
Affordability
3.9 / 5.0
$774,400 home value, $1,750/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
292 violent crimes/100K
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
67.9% bachelor's degree or higher

Essex, MA

At a Glance

Median Income
$156,094
108% above
$63,654 per capita
Home Value
$774,400
175% above
Zillow: $910,434
Median Rent
$1,750/mo
50% above
31.2% of income on rent
Violent Crime
292/100K
23% below
345/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
67.9%
101% above
98.1% high school+
Unemployment
1.4%
61% below
2.0% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
26.3%
18% below
8.4% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
50°F

How Essex Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Essex's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
208%
Home Value
275%
Rent
150%
Poverty
16%
Bachelor's
201%
Unemployment
39%
Crime
77%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Essex a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.7 / 5.0 - Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Essex residents earn a median household income of $156,094 , which is 108% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $63,654. The unemployment rate stands at 1.4% (61% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 2.0% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 28,628 business establishments, including 1,878 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Essex is $774,400 , 175% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $910,434. Median rent is $1,750/month, with 31.2% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 105.8 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1955.

Safety & Crime

Essex reports 292 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 23% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 345/100K.

Education

67.9% of adults in Essex hold a bachelor's degree or higher (101% above the national average). 98.1% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.5/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Essex has an average annual temperature of 50°F (10°C). Winters average 28°F in January while summers reach 72°F in July. Annual precipitation totals 44.9 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 37.

Data Overview

People

Population1,775
Median Age42.2 yrs
Density862/mi²
Male / Female48% / 52%
Foreign Born1.2%
Veterans6.7%

Economy

A+
Median Income$156,094
Per Capita$63,654
Unemployment1.4%
Poverty2.0%
County GDP$60,733M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,453

Housing

B+
Home Value$774,400
Rent$1,750
Ownership75.2%
Zillow$910,434
Housing Units669
Rent Burden31.2%

Crime

F
Violent292/100K
Property345/100K

Health

Obesity26.3%
Diabetes6.3%
Smoking8.4%
Heart Disease4.2%
Premature Death5,853/100K

Climate

Avg Temp50°F
Rain44.9 in/yr
AQI37 (Good)
Elevation19 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+67.9%
High School+98.1%
Graduate+30.7%
School Score6.5/10

Community

2024 VoteR 39% / D 59%
Commute23 min
Broadband95.4%
Internet Speed201 Mbps
EV Stations1
Libraries38

Did You Know?

The median home in Essex was built in 1955.
The nearest airport is Beverly Regional (8 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.483 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
7.4% of the population has a disability.
Average internet download speed is 201 Mbps.
There are 1,878 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 30 fatal vehicle crashes.